Greeley Mayor Pro Tem John Gates on Wednesday announced his candidacy for mayor of Greeley, bringing to an end years of speculation and marking the first public announcement for the November 2017 mayoral election.

Gates, a retired police sergeant with the Greeley Police Department, is the director of school safety and security for Greeley-Evans School District 6 and has served on Greeley City Council since 2009.

He has been mayor pro tem, a position voted on by his council peers, since his first election in 2009.

Gates is seeking to replace Greeley Mayor Tom Norton, who is term limited.

"This will be a challenge," Gates said. "I've spent considerable time commiserating about whether I'm ready for it. I have the skill, the knowledge and the aptitude to be Greeley's mayor. And that's why I'm running."

Gates, 59, is a member of the Greeley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County Board of Directors, Youth and Family Connections Board of Directors and numerous other committees and commissions.

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Gates points to the City Center project, the downtown hotel and conference center and the improvement of Greeley's image as being among the things he has taken pride in while on the Greeley City Council.

Born and raised in Greeley, Gates embraces growth. But he said he doesn't want Greeley to turn into a metropolis, either.

He has been involved in the Greeley Stampede, including two years as general chairman, and has served on the Upstate Colorado Economic Development Board of Directors, among other previous service activities.

Gates was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Greeley Area Realtor's Association in 2003 and received a similar honor from Youth and Family Connections in 2012. He also received the Spirit of Advocacy award from the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center in 2016.

In a prepared release, Gates said as mayor he will provide visionary leadership in dealing with critical issues, including the city budget, image and job creation.

"I will continue to be a positive advocate on behalf of constituents, offering a reasoned voice to controversial issues," Gates said in the release.

— Tyler Silvy covers city and county government for The Greeley Tribune. Reach him at tsilvy@greeleytribune.com. Connect with him at Facebook.com/TylerSilvy or @TylerSilvy on Twitter.

The John Gates file

Age: 59

Family: Wife, Patty Gates; two step-sons, Jared and Zach St. Aubyn.

Work: 25 years with Greeley Police Department, currently director of school safety and security for Greeley-Evans School District 6.

Experience: Mayor pro tem since 2009 with Greeley City Council, re-elected in 2013.